Abstract
Gigantic upward atmospheric discharges have been numerically simulated. The space-time distributions of the self-consistent electric field strength and charged particle densities have been obtained. The brightness, color, and evolution in the space and time of fluorescence above a thundercloud, which agree with the data of field observations of such high-altitude optical phenomena as blue jets and red sprites, have been calculated. It has been indicated that large duration of blue jets results from the emission of a decaying ion plasma of the air. The yields of hard gamma rays and neutrons, generated by upward discharges, have been calculated.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
L. P. Babich, “Neutron Generation in Gigantic Upward Atmospheric Discharges,” Pis’ma Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz. 84(6), 345–348 (2006).
L. P. Babich and R. A. Roussel-Dupre, “The Origin of Neutron Flux Increases Observed in Correlation with Lightning,” J. Geophys. Res. 112, D13303 (2007).
L. P. Babich, R. I. Il’kaev, A. Yu. Kudryavtsev, et al., “Analysis of Atmospheric Gamma Ray Bursts Registered by Orbital Stations,” Dokl. Akad. Nauk 381, 247–250 (2001).
L. P. Babich, R. I. Il’kaev, I. M. Kutsyk, et al., “Calculation of High-Altitude Optical Phenomena above Clouds Based on the Mechanism with the Participation of Relativistic Electron Avalanche,” Dokl. Akad. Nauk 388(3), 383–386 (2003).
L. P. Babich, R. I. Il’kaev, I. M. Kutsyk, et al., “Self-Consistent Calculation of Upward Atmospheric Discharge Developing in the Mode of Relativistic Runaway Electron Avalanches,” Geomagn. Aeron. 44(2), 254–265 (2004a) [Geomagn. Aeron. 44, 231–242 (2004a)].
L. P. Babich, E. N. Donskoy, I. M. Kutsyk, and R. A. Roussel-Dupré, “Relativistic Runaway Electron Avalanche Bremsstrahlung in the Atmosphere,” Geomagn. Aeron. 44(5), 697–703 (2004b) [Geomagn. Aeron. 44, 645–651 (2004b)].
L. P. Babich, R. I. Il’kaev, I. M. Kutsyk, et al., “Analysis of Atmospheric Gamma Ray Bursts Based on the Mechanism of Generation of Relativistic Electron Avalanches,” Geomagn. Aeron. 44(2), 266–275 (2004) [Geomagn. Aeron. 44, 243–251 (2004)].
L. P. Babich, A. Yu. Kudryavtsev, M. L. Kudryavtseva, and I. M. Kutsyk, “Calculation of a Gigantic Upward Atmospheric Discharge, Accompanying Optical Phenomena, and Penetrating Radiations. I. Numerical Model,” Geomagn. Aeron. 48(3) (2008).
S. A. Cummer, Y. Zhai, W. Hu, et al., “Measurements and Implications of the Relationship between Lightning and Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flashes,” Geophys. Res. Lett. 32, L08811 (2005).
S. S. Dietrich and B. L. Berman, “Atlas of Photoneutron Cross Sections Obtained with Monoenergetic Photons,” At. Data Nucl. Tables 38, 199–338 (1988).
J. R. Dwyer and D. M. Smith, “A Comparison between Monte Carlo Simulations of Runaway Breakdown and Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flash Observations,” Geophys. Res. Lett. 32, L22804 (2005).
G. J. Fishman, P. N. Bhat, R. Mallozzi, et al., “Discovery of Intense Gamma-Ray Flashes of Atmospheric Origin,” Science 264, 1313–1316 (1994).
D. P. Grechukhin, “Gamma Rays,” in Physical Encyclopedia, Ed. by A. M. Prokhorov (Sov. Entsikloped., Moscow, 1988), Vol. 1 [in Russian].
P. L. Hartman, “New Measurement of the Fluorescence Efficiency of Air under Electron Bombardment,” Planet. Space Sci. 16, 1315–1340 (1968).
M. Kapitelli and B. F. Gordiets, Preprint No. 108 (Part 2) FIAN (Ioffe Physicotechnical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 1991).
B. M. Kuzhevsky, “Neutron Generation in Lightning,” Vestn. Mosk. Univ., Ser. 3: Fiz. Astron., No. 5, 14–16 (2004).
R. J. Nemiroff, J. T. Bonnell, and J. P. Norris, “Temporal and Spectral Characteristics of Terrestrial Gamma Flashes,” J. Geophys. Res. 102, 9659–9665 (1997).
V. P. Pasko, M. Stenley, J. D. Mathews, et al., “Electrical Discharge from a Thundercloud Top to the Lower Ionosphere,” Nature 416, 152–154 (2002).
R. A. Roussel-Dupre and A. V. Gurevich, “On Runaway Breakdown and Upward Propagating Discharges,” J. Geophys. Res. 101A, 2297 (1996).
D. D. Sentman and E. M. Wescott, “Red Sprites and Blue Jets: Thunderstorm—Excited Optical Emissions in the Stratosphere, Mesosphere, and Ionosphere,” Phys. Plasmas 2, 2514–2522 (1995).
D. D. Sentman, E. M. Wescott, D. L. Osborn, et al., “Preliminary Results from the Sprite 94 Aircraft Campaign. 1. Red Sprites,” Geophys. Res. Lett. 22, 1205–1208 (1995).
G. N. Shah, H. Razdan, G. L. Bhat, and G. M. Ali, “Neutron Generation in Lightning Bolts,” Nature 313, 773–775 (1985).
A. N. Shyam and T. C. Kaushik, “Observation of Neutron Bursts Associated with Atmospheric Lightning Discharge,” J. Geophys. Res. 104, 6867–6869 (1999).
D. M. Smith, L. I. Lopez, R. P. Lin, and C. P. Barrington-Leigh, “Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes Observed up to 20 MeV,” Science 307, 1085–1088 (2005).
Yu. N. Taranenko and R. A. Roussel-Dupre, “High Altitude Discharges and Gamma-Ray Flashes: A Manifestation of Runaway Air Breakdown,” Geophys. Res. Lett. 23, 571–574 (1996).
E. M. Wescott, D. D. Sentman, D. L. Osborn, et al., “Preliminary Results from the Sprite 94 Aircraft Campaign; 2. Blue Jets,” Geophys. Res. Lett. 22, 1209–1212 (1995).
E. Williams, R. Boldi, J. Bor, et al., “Lightning Flashes Conducive to the Production and Escape of Gamma Radiation to Space,” J. Geophys. Res. 111, D16209 (2006).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Original Russian Text © L.P. Babich, A.Yu. Kudryavtsev, M L. Kudryavtseva, I.M. Kutsyk, 2008, published in Geomagnetizm i Aeronomiya, 2008, Vol. 48, No. 3, pp. 392–406.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Babich, L.P., Kudryavtsev, A.Y., Kudryavtseva, M.L. et al. Calculation of a gigantic upward atmospheric discharge, accompanying optical phenomena, and penetrating radiations. II. Numerical simulation results. Geomagn. Aeron. 48, 378–391 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0016793208030122
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0016793208030122